Sometimes, life sucks.
Yeah, I said it. And yeah, I said it on a Jesus-loving Christian blog.
But its the truth. Sometimes life sucks.
We live in a world of pain. Of hurt. Of disease. Of evil. Of hard circumstances. Of moments where we wonder how the heck we are supposed to continue to function.
“Sucky” things in life range from the seemingly small and trivial (I lost my stupid wallet– again!) to the painfully large and unexplainable (Sandy Hook school shooting. Boston bombing. Explosion in Texas.)
So yeah, it’s the truth. Sometimes life really just kinda sucks.
Which might be why this world is not our home. (THANK YOU JESUS! Can I get an AMEN?!?!)
For those of you who have been around 7 Days Time for a hot minute, you know it’s my policy not to leave things on a negative note. So if life sucks… What are we supposed to do about it?
Embrace the suck.
Now, I don’t mean we have to welcome it. Or enjoy it. Or even ask for the hard times to come our way. But we all know that hard times, aka the sucky stuff, is inevitable in this life. We live in a fallen world and really there’s no getting around it.
But instead of wallowing in the suck and turning our eyes inward… We can embrace it knowing that we have a Lord and Savior that has been there, done that.
And no matter what suck you are going through right now, we can take solace in the fact that this world isn’t our home and we have the promise of heaven closer than we can imagine.
“Well, Sharita, this ’embrace the suck’ idea is all fine and dandy… In theory. But seriously. What can we do about it?”
Great question. Glad you asked. 🙂  Here’s a few tangible thoughts…
*Pray. A lot. God doesn’t care if it’s a huge suck like battling cancer or a seemingly minor suck like a newborn baby who has gotten her days and nights mixed up and refuses to sleep. (Not that I would know that one from experience or anything.) Remember, if it matters to you, it matters to God. He will hear your plea for help. He might not fix your suck, but I promise He WILL be with you through it!
*Rejoice. I know it’s hard in the moment… But 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to rejoice IN (not necessarily FOR) all circumstances. That’s where making a list of your blessings and small God gifts in life come into play. Â Be thankful.
*Share. Find another Christian or person you trust and share the “suck” in your life. Â God made us to live in community and bear one another’s burdens.
*Keep perspective. This one is also easier said than done, but sometimes taking a quick step back and trying to look at things from God’s perspective can be a huge help. It might require extra meditation, prayers, quiet time, a mini-sabbatical, rest or a variety of things. Ask yourself not WHY… But WHAT God is doing in your suck situation.
*Embrace Jesus. This is something we can (and should) do whether or not we find ourselves in a “suck” part of life or not. Again, he’s been there, done that– a thousand times worse than we could ever imagine. He understands. He is always with you. Yep, even in the midst of the suck of life.
Be encouraged today, sweet reader. If you are in a suck season and desire prayer, please feel free to contact me by leaving a comment below, sending me a message on Facebook or holler at me via email at sharita{dot}knobloch{at}gmail{dot}com.
Take heart, friends. Embrace the suck by embracing Jesus. He’s got your back– always.
Embracing Him Wholeheartedly,
SGK
“So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” ~2 Corinthians 4:16-18 MSG
